The Supreme Court of India has asked the Centre to respond within two weeks to Rajiv Gandhi’s killer Perarivalan’s plea to suspend his life sentence.

Perarivalan, one of the seven main accused in the 1991 assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in Sriperumpudur off Chennai, has spent more than 25 years in prison. Presently lodged in Vellore Central Prison, his death sentence was earlier reduced to life sentence. He was recent out on a 2-month long parole to take care of his bed-ridden father.

Perarivalan has petitioned the apex Court to suspend his life sentence. “I have been charged with supplying battery for the bomb which exploded and killed Rajiv Gandhi. As I had been in prison for the past 26 years, my life sentence should be annulled. Investigating officials didn’t even bother to properly record my testimony. I request annulment of my prison term mainly on this plank,” his petition said.

When the petition was taken up, the apex Court ordered that notices be issued to the Centre to respond to Perarivalan’s allegations and request within a couple of weeks.